Christmas at Darcy House

Darcy wanted nothing so much as to camp on the Gardiners’ front step until Elizabeth agreed to marry him. However, the Gardiners and Mr. Bennet were quite firm that such behavior would not be welcome.

Therefore, the day following the visit to Astley’s, Darcy cast about for a distraction. In the morning he took his horse out for a vigorous ride on Rotten Row. Then he and Richard visited Bingley, whom his cousin had never met; Darcy was pleased at the opportunity to introduce them.

The visit had been pleasant. Because Richard and Bingley were of similar temperaments, Darcy had expected them to delight in each other’s company. It had not happened; Bingley had been quiet and morose, and they had departed rather earlier than he expected. As Darcy walked back to Darcy House with Richard, he tried to puzzle out what had happened. Perhaps it was nothing; his judgment might be impaired by Darcy’s own distraction over Elizabeth.

Richard cleared his throat. “I have always heard you describe Mr. Bingley as an exuberant man.”

“He is,” Darcy said. “Usually.”

“He appeared…subdued to me,” Richard said.

“Hmm.” Darcy considered Bingley’s manner since…well, since their return from Netherfield. “I believe he wished to pass Christmastide in Hertfordshire, but his sisters would not agree.”

“He did seem eager for news of your acquaintances there.”

“Yes.” Darcy was not completely satisfied with his own behavior regarding their departure from Netherfield, and the more time he spent in Elizabeth’s presence, the more uneasy he grew.

Nor was he pleased with his current conduct toward Bingley. Although his friend knew Darcy had contact with Elizabeth in London, he did not know Darcy was courting her. Bingley could rightfully accuse him of hypocrisy, but Darcy had no idea how to broach the subject. Perhaps Richard could help him sort it out. “Bingley…formed an attachment to a woman there.”

Richard’s eyebrows shot up. “And she spurned his advances?”

“Not at all. She seemed pleased by his attentions, if not overly so. But Miss Bingley thought the family was not desirable, and I did not believe there was a great attachment on her part, so she and I convinced Bingley to leave Hertfordshire.” Darcy now realized that his own eagerness to depart was driven in no small part by his desire to separate himself from Elizabeth. Not for the first time, Darcy considered whether Bingley had not been well-served by his advice.

Darcy continued, “Something that Elizabeth said leads me to believe that perhaps her sister harbored real affection for him.”

Richard came to an abrupt halt, forcing Darcy to stop as well. “Bingley was courting Miss Elizabeth’s sister?”

“Yes.”

“It is her family you and Miss Bingley considered objectionable?” Richard’s voice rose in pitch.

“I expressed my reservations about the Bennets to you.”

“Damnation, Darcy! Does Bingley know you are courting Miss Elizabeth?”

“No. I thought it best to keep it quiet until—unless—she accepts my hand.” Even as he said it, Darcy knew it was an excuse, and a bad one at that.

He would have continued walking, but Richard would not move. “You convinced him to stop courting Elizabeth’s sister because the family was undesirable, and then you make an offer to Miss Elizabeth yourself,” Richard said slowly. “I thought you valued your friendship with Bingley.”

“I do.”

“Then what do you think you are about? Whether or not Miss Elizabeth accepts your hand, you could lose Bingley’s friendship forever if he learns what you are hiding from him.” Richard shook his head at his cousin’s stupidity. “Particularly if he ever learns that Elizabeth’s sister harbored real affection for him.”

Completely still in the middle of the path, Darcy considered his cousin’s words. People bustled around them; the carriages and horses sounded from the road. My God. How have I been so stupid? I had been thinking I was doing Bingley a kindness—rescuing him from the Bennets—and that he would be grateful. I believed I was being kinder to him than I was to myself. But how would I feel about a friend who separated me from Elizabeth?

Darcy’s stomach churned, and for a moment he feared he would be sick. Some of his horror must have shown on his face, for Richard put a reassuring hand on Darcy’s shoulder. “What can I do?” Darcy asked. “Bingley will hate me forever if he finds out.” And Elizabeth… Oh, Good Lord, what if Elizabeth learns the truth?

Richard shrugged. “I do not know, Cuz. What is done is done. But for your own sake, I hope Bingley never finds out. And while you are at it, you had better discover a way to keep the truth from Miss Elizabeth as well.”

I am in trouble…

***

Two days before Christmas, the Gardiner house was in a bit of an uproar. The Gardiners’ cook was ill, and it was not at all certain she would be well enough to make Christmas dinner. Shaw could cook—in theory—but Aunt Gardiner confided to Elizabeth that the results were disastrous. At this time of year, no other cooks of worth could be hired for a temporary position. Elizabeth’s aunt fretted and considered her options but found no solution.

Elizabeth could not help with the cooking since her mother had made it a point to keep her daughters out of the kitchen, but she offered to help her aunt assemble the boxes she was creating for the servants and the workers in Uncle Gardiner’s warehouse. Full of clothing, food, and small gifts, the boxes would be given on the day after Christmas, Boxing Day. Elizabeth and her aunt were in the midst of this task at a little table in the drawing room while Elizabeth’s uncle and father sat by the fire discussing politics.

Shaw opened the door. “Mr. Wickham is here, ma’am,” she announced to Aunt Gardiner.